Dum Spiro Spero
by Cyber-Undead
Summary: "While I breathe, there is hope." AU, retelling of RV with a sprinkle of DnD 3.5: at the age of 4, Tsukune lost his parents and cousin. A special being took him in and taught him the Arcane Arts. Now, 15 years old, he must survive the Youkai Academy. Uploaded revised Chapter 1
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: "Rosario+Vampire" and "Dungeons and Dragons" belong to somebody else. Also, no money is being made of this, so please don't sue. If requested, I will remove this from ffdotnet. No beta-reader, except those created by my pathology of multiple personalities.

"Talking"

_Thinking_

* * *

Taking the last step down and a few away from the bus, Tsukune lowers his bag and looks around, noting with some dismay that the darkness of night isn't letting him see much in the horizon other than a few scarce lights at the far academy. In fact, perhaps due to the cover of the night to which the new moon isn't helping, it seems that the school is a bit more than a mile away from where the bus has dropped him. Shaking his head, he realizes that it might be best to follow the clear path by the cliff, preferably at the side farthest from the edge, just in case. He looks back at the bus just in time to see his only companion get near him. Which is a human adult skeleton. Scratching the back of his head nervously, he still doesn't know how will the students and teachers react to the presence of an undead naked skeleton accompanying him everywhere.

"You know, boy" - Tsukune leans his head to the side to better see the driver of the bus, a man smoking a cigar and with bright white glowing eyes - "it might be a good idea for you to leave this summon guarding your room."

Seeing the door of the bus close and the vehicle slowly return to the tunnel, Tsukune ponders about it. The skeleton isn't armed, and it has no clothing of any kind covering its yellowish bones, so it's not immediately presenting itself as a potential threat; however, considering his location for the next three years, assuming he survives that much time, most of the students are likely to be easily provoked to a fight. True, him attending classes without the skeleton protecting him would be terrifying, but maybe he could get some luck and pass unnoticed.

The only clothes that he possesses might help, as he is wearing a faded, stained and lightly torn black t-shirt, simple black trousers with only the front pockets at the waist, even though one of them is ripped open, while the knees are very worn down. His sandals are quite worn out as well, with almost all the straps having being repaired several times and the sole of his right one having a small hole. His physique wasn't attractive either, with him being thin, sickly pale, a shaved head and blue-dark marked skin beneath his brown eyes.

Grimacing about the slim chances of him being ignored by everyone and likely being catalogued as cannon fodder, a sack of meat to grind, Tsukune shoulders his bag and starts walking in the direction of the school, following the left side of the path, closer to the forest than the sea. As he walks, he tries to keep himself alert to any suspicious sound, since seeing any potential attack from the woods is nearly impossible to a simple boy like him. Well, he has a way of creating light, but it wouldn't last long enough to reach the buildings. Gazing over his shoulder to the skeleton following him just two steps back, he remembers the fact that all undead creature can see fairly well in the dark, so if something or someone attacks him, at least the creature would see his opponent better than him.

As he walks, he picks up a peculiar rustling sound, coming from the woods. Squinting, he tries but can't see anything; glancing sideways, he notes that the skeleton is still. Then again, it's a skeleton, how's one supposed to tell for any sign of agitation or alertness? A new sound, rustling of leaves, stones, and was that a woohish moan?

Gulping, Tsukune looks at the ground and spots a branch; picking it up and holding it in his left hand, the scared boy takes a deep breath and starts speaking words apparently without any coherence. A minute later, he stops talking and the branch starts shining, projecting a greenish light, allowing him to see for twenty feet around him; Tsukune, relieved that at least he can see what is about to hurt him or maybe even kill him, takes a step off the path leading to the academy.

As he walks deeper into the woods, Tsukune tries his hardest to hear or see anything that could have caused those sounds; he also registers almost unconsciously how quickly he became used to the sound of bones rattling, due, to be sure, in no small part thanks to his upbringing. Glancing back, Tsukune is really glad to have a walking skeleton to protect him, even if it's unarmed. Looking about as he walks, he sees strange stone ruins, like pillars and walls worn down by time. He also sees some headstones without any kind of graving or anything else that identifies the buried bodies. Desperately hoping that his m-

"HOLD! Who goes there?"

Jumping back and bumping his silent companion, Tsukune frantically looks everywhere for the speaker. Seeing nothing, he looks even further back, noting with some consternation that he walked too far off the path; if he started running, it would be only by blind luck that he could find his way back. Turning to the most likely place of where the shout and question came from, Tsukune tries again to see whoever it is speaking to him.

"I repeat, who goes there?"

Still unable to visualize the inquirer, Tsukune, shaking, replies

"H-h-hello, I'm a-a-a-a new stu-u-u-dent. I" - boggled, he really wasn't sure of how to assure the person addressing him that he was harmless - "I am only here to study."

Suddenly hearing the dead trees surrounding him rustling, he looks at the arms only to see them all trembling against each other. Then, he hears stones rumbling, some small ones even levitating from the ground, as well as a whirlpool of dry leaves forming in front of him. Terrified beyond comparison, Tsukune falls to his knees bowed with his eyes shut and screams

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE! PLEASE, DON'T HURT ME!"

Babbling please over and over again, it takes some time to Tsukune note that it all calmed down. Looking up, he nearly loses control of his bladder, for right there in front of him is an incorporeal white-bluish form. No feet, indeed beneath its waist his form seemed to end up in an indistinct amalgam of... whatever it is ghosts are made of, all the way down to a thin tail which didn't touch the ground. Arms bare and lightly muscled, the torso has a torn armour made of small rectangular leather pieces holding barely together thanks to a few strings still strong. The face of the ghost doesn't have any distinguishable traces, being as generic as it goes, without any vestige of hair or beard. In fact, the ghost has an absolutely impassive expression on his face.

A minute passes, with Tsukune still on his knees and eyes bugged out and the ghost dead...er to the world. And another minute. And another. Hearing the skeleton behind him shift its weight from one bony feet to another, too bedazzled with the creature in front of him to understand that such an apparently unimportant act could become one with potential to obliterate all of the conventions regarding the state of undeath, the young boy tries to think of the safest thing to do to a ghost, which kept its current state of dead...est to everything surrounding it, despite its early questions. Trying his luck, Tsukune addressed the ghost

"Is... Is there something you need?" - not getting any kind of response, he tried again - "Sir?"

The ghost, suddenly opening its eyes, looked at the downed boy and eerily spoke

"I am Isamu Minamoto, a great warrior. I was a central figure, a commanding officer in many battles; indeed, my cunningness and bravery inspired thousands and terrorized countless more who dared to face me."

Tsukune, scared that the ghost would want to fight him and prove his superiority, asked in the most humble manner possible

"Mina... Great general Minamoto, may you tell me why such an incredible man... ghost is doing in these lands? Is this where you fell? Are you condemned to haunt this spot?"

Acutely noticing that the ghost seemed to straighten its posture, assuming what it no doubt believed to be a more regal standing, the ghost answered in a more haughty tone

"I do not remember the exact location of where I perished; know only that it was during a battle of astonishing proportions, the greatest for little more than a century before others rivalled it, that I was cut down, surrounded by dozens of coward soldiers seeking to curry favour with their lord. Unfortunately, my death broke the morale of my army and the battle was lost, although we still incurred a most severe blow to the enemy, which ultimately was the main cause of losing the war they had started. Buried, my grave was revered and honoured for centuries until time took the memory of my deeds from the new generations."

Hearing nothing else, Tsukune wondered if the ghost was expecting some manner of adulation. Minamoto, Minamoto... Why did that surname sounded a bit familiar? Looking as discreetly as possible over his shoulder, he observed that the skeleton was in the same place, arms down. It was probably expecting a command from the boy. Hearing the ghost talking again, he faces forward, trying to keep too much of his fear to show.

"As to what you can do for me, it seems that there is indeed something. That skeleton, do you need it?"

Confused, Tsukune tried quickly to think of what could the ghost want it for. His own personal guard? Shaking his head, he tries explaining its purpose formally

"This is my Skeletal Minion, I raised it to serve and protect me until death. A-a-again."

Embarrassed by his slip, the boy hoped that the ghost had nothing too extravagant planned, as he is still to weak, too much of a novice, to defeat such a powerful undead. Seeing the ghost leave its place, it starts floating around the skeleton, which is still standing passively.

"You see, young one, I was thinking that I could possess this skeleton and use it to insert myself better in the world of both the living and the unliving. Since I exist, I might as well make the best of it. Besides" - maybe it was just a misunderstanding, but it seemed that the ghost was adopting a facial expression more... perverted? - "I could perhaps in time find women that would recognize the immortal honour of serving this... immortal warrior of grand prestige."

Feeling his chin hit the floor, Tsukune racked his mind trying to think of what could an animated skeleton want female servants for. Then he stopped thinking about it, considering that there are secrets in the universe that must not be discovered or deciphered for the good of his own sanity. Clearing his throat, which has sucked a lot of the dirt so far, he tells the ghost

"Oh great Minamoto, since I summoned this creature, I may dismiss it. Or any spell caster, especially if they're more powerful than me. So this one may be too weak for a... such an inspiring spirit."

The ghost, ethereally rubbing his chin, replied

"That may be so, but know that you are the first to attend this school with your own undead minion. Others have raised the dead, or tried and failed and increased the number of neighbours for me, but never have I observed such a prime candidate to receive the unique blessing of being possessed by my outstanding being. No, boy, I really want it and I'm taking it!"

Immediately after saying that, the ghost dove into the ghost, making it glow. In fact, its glow was steadily increasing. Freaked out, Tsukune jumped away and, sitting on the ground nearly eight feet away and facing it, he sees the glow start to fade away, leaving only the skeleton standing unchanged, except for the fact that its bones now seem a bit more whitish instead of a dull and bleached yellow. Then, the skeleton starts moving its limbs and walking in a circle and... was he trying a military march? Stopping sideways, the skeleton turns only its skull to Tsukune, points a finger at the cowering boy, and shouts

"Be impressed, boy, for now you have one of the best samurai that have ever existed protecting you!" - the skeleton, seeing that the boy was still freaked, continued - "I need to know your full name as well as what is your stand in the royal court. Have you ever been summoned to the Imperial Palace?"

Tsukune, gulping, answered

"My name is Tsukune Aono. Like I've said earlier, I'm a new student here. I" - hesitating, he nods to himself and gets up before asking his new protector to follow him back to the path, and that while they head to the school grounds, Tsukune will tell Isamu what he has permission to speak of. Noting that the light emanating from the enchanted branch is disappearing, Tsukune asks Isamu if he can take him to the academy, to which the skeleton replies affirmatively.

Passing the school gates and loosing some of his gloom, Tsukune takes a moment regaining his breath, trying to guess the most likely building where to find an employee that can give him instructions. Analysing the somewhat Gothic and definitely creepy edifices, he decides to try the biggest one that just happens to be right in front of him, while thinking that the administration should place some directional plaques indicating which is what. However, before taking a step, he sees a white sheet of paper floating down in front of him. Bewildered, he first looks up and sees nothing but the clear sky full of stars; then he tries reading it, but the lack of light nearby prevents him. Luckily, his companion snatches the sheet from his hands and reads it. Tsukune, somewhat confounded while thinking that it was supposed to ask for permission first but still too afraid to point that out, as he can't be sure if the possessed skeleton is bound by spell or it is protecting him out of pity for the boy.

"My lord, know that this paper welcomes you to the Youkai Academy, and that that building over there" - the skeleton points to another building off to the side - " is the dormitory for the male and male-inclined students. It also says that the number of your room is the 113th. Your uniforms are there, along with mandatory rules and the agenda for tomorrow. It's signed by the headmaster himself..."

* * *

Isamu, looking down at his new young lord, wonders for a moment if he should inform him of who is the headmaster of this academy. Then he dismisses it; a student capable of raising skeletons is surely aware of such things already...

* * *

As for Tsukune, glad that his partner – _Partner?_ - has cleared that out, asks

"Then... we should go there? Or perhaps it would be better to first get authorization?"

How was he supposed to know, his stay at the academy was starting out terribly, first with the spooky encounter in the woods surrounding the school, and now having to decide whether it's okay to immediately take his assigned room or if he should find somebody who works here and could give him clearance to use the facilities, or maybe he should just find a soft spot of ground and sleep there until morning and clear everything out.

The animated skeleton wasn't helping either, just silently looking down at him. Taking a deep breath, Tsukune, hesitatingly at first, heads in the direction of the still extended bony finger. He also starts thinking that maybe Isaum was keeping his finger pointing the direction of the dormitory as his own way of telling the boy what he was supposed to do. Reaching the building and entering it through the double doors, he sees himself standing at a front hall, with stairs going up on either side of the room. Checking a crude map posted on one of the headboards, and realizing that his room number means that it's the thirteenth on the first floor and on the right side of the building, he climbs the stairs on the right side and walks along the corridor, noting that, above each door, lies a Roman numeral. Finding the XIII, he tries the handle, finding it unlocked; door opened, he scrapped his hands on either wall inside looking for the switch, hoping that there is such. Finding it, he turns the light on, which flickers on and off periodically. The inside isn't a surprise for Tsukune: nearly 17 feet long and around 13,5 feet wide, the walls and ceiling are painted in a dull and somewhat-weathered white, a worn though clean wooden floor, with a simple bed and a small trunk at the feet board on one side of the wall, with the opposing one having a common closet and desk with a plain chair, as well as a single window in the middle of the wall opposing the door and one light bulb attached to the middle of the ceiling. The room really is Spartan, cheap, but at least he has a bed, which is a lot better than sleeping on the floor with only one blanket covering his body. His companion, however, doesn't agree with such accommodations and indignantly states so

"I cannot believe this, Sir. Certainly, there must be a mistake. This can't be the room assigned to one of your role. It's absolu-" before he can continue, though, Tsukune interrupts him, tiredly reminding Isamu of just what exactly his role in life is. The skeleton says nothing more, brooding over the unfairness of fate. Closing the door, Tsukune lays his bag on the floor and opens his closet; within, he sees that he has three class and two sport uniforms, plus a jacket with the symbol of the academy over one of the breast pockets. No underwear or socks or footwear, though drawers and empty spaces for such exist. Checking his desk, he sees several papers with the rules and routines of the academy, explaining the works and what his life will be for the next three years. Assuming, once again, that he can survive. Taking a deep breath and looking around the room again, memorizing every detail, Tsukune grabs his bag and starts rummaging the contents; first he takes a scroll case, then he finds a small velvet pouch, he lays them on the desk and takes a piece of white chalk from one of the side pockets of his backpack. Scratching his head, he starts scribbling, drawing, and writing undecipherable runes on the middle of the floor, ending with a circle with words in several languages and mysterious symbols. Gulping, he then stands, wipes his hands on his trousers and grabs the pouch, unties the cord and turns it upside down, dropping a black gem to his left palm. Twirling it in his fingers, he meditates for a moment, then looks at his companion who has remained silent and unmoving during the whole procedure.

"P-p-please don't say anything or move, all right? I... I'd really like it if he doesn't know about you, Mr. Minamoto. About y-you taking pos-s-ssession of the skeleton, okay?"

Isamu, looking at his master without proffering a word, nodded and took a few steps back, positioning himself by the door. Tsukune, first placing the gem in the middle of the drawn out circle, kneels just outside the outermost circle; he then takes the only scroll from the case and starts reading it, waving his arms and making weird signs with his hands while monotonously saying incomplete and senseless words...

To be continued...

AN: I know I'm not the first to try something like this – check "Diplomatic Relations" by Stormedge – and I'm aware that it may not even seem at first all that different, but alas there is nothing that I can do about it. It will be different, as far as background goes, which will be progressively revealed in the next chapters. Also, there was a reason for not introducing Moka or any other girl. I've early decided to include a companion to Tsukune right from the start, but wasn't sure if a familiar would be adequate. Or proper to the circumstances, if you will. Then, as I wrote a draft of the opening, I started thinking "why not a Skeletal Minion instead of a Summon Familiar?" As I delved deeper into that, I realized that it would be not only perfect for the situation, it could also be the added bonus of comical relief, thus the inspiration from "Bleach" with the character "Kon". He will be a plus in all aspects, methinks.

Which leads me next to state this: I'm adapting the manga (won't be using sources from the anime, only the manga, sorry if that disappoints readers) to Dungeons and Dragons 3.5. Not 4.0, no way! Don't even think about it, yuch! Knowledge of the rules of DnD isn't necessary, as I'll try my best to explain and describe anything that comes from that universe; also only Tsukune and Isamu will be full DnD'ed, and I might (not sure yet) adapt the girls and other characters, like giving Moka some or even all of the Vampire powers of the template in DnD. Before I forget, I've removed the need for material components for the spells, since Yukari only waves her wand around for her own magic; Verbal and Somatic remains, much like every other detail pertaining DnD spells, like casting time and duration and etc.

Expect a retelling of RV with its own up moments of humour and romance (Author snorts, thinking of what he has prepared) and friendship and adventure, as well as its down moments; I'll try indeed not to be too bleak or depressing or downright negative with those themes, as I prefer to keep this with a little push more toward the Good and Light than the Neutral or Evil slash Darkness. For that matter, I may as well tell now that the main plot and a bunch of secondary plots are already mapped out, and I have a very very very rough draft of the final chapter. I also plan on posting the character sheet for Tsukune in the epilogue. That being said, I'm sure that any suggestions can be squeezed into what I already have, so feel free to do so, if so inclined.

I guess that's it, for now. I'll try keeping this in a monthly update with a minimum of 1500 words, and any questions or critics regarding either RV or DnD, please, don't hesitate to pm or review. Hope everyone who reads this has a good time doing so. Until next time...

P.S.: Uploaded revised version. Thanks goes to StigmaReborn for pointing out the (rather obvious) issues in characterization (don't know how that slipped, really). Thank you again for the honest review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Check the first chapter.

"Talking"

_Thinking_

* * *

Yawning, Tsukune does his best to not show off too much, as he really doesn't want anybody to notice him, considering that they're all monsters; in fact, he was the first to arrive at his assigned classroom, even before the teacher. Finding the door unlocked, he saw no reason not to let himself in and choose the most unassuming seat, which lead him to take the second seat in the row next to the windows; not front seat, but not that far from it either. Of course, if anybody so much as glanced his way silently asking, he wouldn't hesitate to give up and take another, likely one of the last in any row.

Yawning again, he is grateful for the small blessing of having the ghost of the ancient samurai possess his summoned skeleton, as he was surprisingly gentle in waking the boy early, giving him enough time to take a quick shower, get dressed in one of the three clean and brand new school uniforms – _it's going to take me a while to get used to wear clothes so smooth and bright and comfortable_ -, take a shower in the communal bathrooms of his floor, pleasantly impressed with the sheer comfort of the hot water, and be the only one showing up in the cafeteria, which was a very nice bonus as he could serve himself to a full platter of food, having a bowl of milk with cereals which he had no idea what were, two small bowls of white rice, a simple miso soup, and four pancakes although the latter unfortunately the cooks hadn't yet managed to get any syrup. Didn't matter, even with just a generous helping of powder sugar, it was still more than he was used to eating for several days straight back home, much less just breakfast.

_Probably going to be the only time too, as from here on out the odds are going to be high to find someone munching something at the cafeteria regardless of the hours, not to mention that it might get to be a messy affair during the rush hours_.

Shrugging and fighting not to yawn by the ninth time, Tsukune was coming to discover that a full stomach on top of a very short and troubled night of sleep doesn't really help in staying awake. Remembering that it wasn't that long ago that the classroom door opened and entered a woman with a lean body, honey coloured loose hair not going further then her jawline, a pastel open coat with shortened sleeves and a blouse underneath, a skirt nearly reaching her knees and mid heels; all in all, a good combination of formal and casual wear.

What surprised him, though, was that when she saw him sitting, two tufts of her hair upped with ears beneath, much alike a cats', along with a furry tail of the same colour as her hair and straight pointing down, its tip reaching her left knee. The feline aspects marked her being perhaps a werecat. Astounded, she came to Tsukune's desk with her tail wagging and asked his name and for how long had he been sitting there, to which he answered that he had entered shortly before she did. He was lying, for he was scared that if he told her that he had been here for little more than a half hour, she might feel offended. Why he didn't know, he was just too scared to face the uncertainty with someone he didn't know anything about, although she introduced herself as Shizuka Nekonome, and that she's his home-room teacher. From then on, students started filtering inside, taking places.

Tsukune, while looking forward, tried his best to see how his new colleagues act by the corner of the eye. To his great consternation, he notices by the growing number of students that there seems to be an equal number of boys and girls, which wasn't any good; he was reverently hoping that his class would be only boys, since the last time he had even seen a girl, it had been his cousin and his mother, and that was so long ago that he could no longer remember their faces any more. Or how to behave around the members of the opposite sex. Well, how hard could it be, right? His orders in that aspect were clear, as He hadn't specified the gender, so the boy would have to treat everybody the same way, namely as friendless as possible, much to his private chagrin.

Finally, after almost fifteen minutes, the classroom is nearly full, with almost all seats taken. Having lived in a very sequestered location since the death of his family, he is at a loss to be able to decide if there's anything... monstrous in sight, as everybody looks normal. But he's just guessing at that, as for a decade he hadn't seen or remember what "normal" was supposed to look like, beyond the other servants back home and those always seemed a bit... abnormal, although he was relying at forgotten memories and vague feelings from long ago. Flinching at a very sharp pain in his chest, as his thoughts kept taking him to a bunch of sensations and no acute memories of his lost family, Tsukune tries his hardest not to lose composure.

_Focus. Concentrate. Stare at the pure white dot in the eternal darkness, do not blink, do not look away. Focus. Concentrate. Stare at the pure..._

Mumbling to himself, struggling to clear any moisture in his eyes, the boy takes a deep breath, thinking of his tasks, the goals he is ordered to accomplish. How He will not tolerate anything less than absolute success in his tasks, that he must not fail.

_To fail is to suffer and suffer and suffer, and then to die. Focus. Concentrate. Stare at the pure white dot in the eternal darkness, do not blink, do not look away. Do not shiver, do not back away from the cold. In the dark, there is no warmth, no tenderness, no caring, only blackness. Focus. Concentrate. Foc..._

Hearing a large bang, Tsukune blinked, surprised. Realizing that he had been repeating The mantra, he looks up in the direction of where the sound came from. To his never-ending astonishment, he sees a girl at the entrance, puffing. She is winded, must have run to get to the classroom. He then hears her,

"Excuse me! After the welcoming ceremony, I kind of got lost in the school. Sorry I'm late..."

Now, finally getting his bearing, he starts to see, to really see just how different from everyone else in class she is. Smooth pink hair cascading down her back and reaching the middle of her thighs, an unblemished skin, green eyes that one would associate with purity and innocence, a small mouth with tantalizing lips from which came a gentle voice, an angular jawline finishing a petite and beautiful face, a slender neck partially hidden due to a black chocker with a single string of tiny white stones going around it and stuck in the same lock with a thin chain holding a magnificently carved crucifix with a red gemstone at its centre, a graceful body and posture using the school uniform with the green jacket being buttoned up although having the white shirt beneath with the collarbone buttons undone letting the cross rest against the skin, with a short skirt that barely covers the upper middle of her thighs, socks going almost to the knee and black shoes.

It is by this time that Tsukune also comes to notice just how everybody in the classroom is looking at her; strangely, both genders seeming to watch her in a peculiar way, as nearly every boy is smiling... or even grinning, and the girls seem... nervous? In fact, a few of the guys look almost feral, with one in the middle looking particularly grim.

As the new girl is welcomed by the teacher and told to take a seat, she looks around; several of the male students stand up or raise their hands, trying to get her attention, nearly begging for her to sit next to them, despite most not having a vacant desk next to theirs. The girl hesitates, and then perks up as she spots a seat in the row next to his and one further back. Smiling embarrassedly, the girl heads to the desk; Tsukune is obviously nervous, as it has been years since he has last seen a girl of his age not to mention so incredibly cute, wondering if she would see him and try to be friends with him. However, as she passes by him without looking in his direction, his mood takes a plumb, realizing that the hope of having a friend is pointless, much less her whom would be quickly appointed as the most lovely of this class, considering that, despite sitting and trying to pay attention to the teacher, the guys are still trying to get her to acknowledge them.

Head leaning down, Tsukune closes his eyes. He had been warned that he must do his best to be dismissed and ignored by every student, as otherwise he could be challenged, picked up on, and end up as the main dish for a colleague. That friends would use and betray him, make little of him as he is still too young to be considered as a powerful wizard not to be messed with, and that the boy would be better off being alone, and never let his guard down.

_None of this matters. Nothing matters but the goals. I must not vacillate, must not turn back. Only forward, always forward. Accomplish the tasks or suffer and suffer and suffer, and then die._

Now feeling perspiration coat his forehead and the back of his neck, Tsukune tries to pay attention to the speech his teacher is giving. That the Youkai Academy is a school to teach monsters how to coexist with the humans unnoticed. That everybody here is a monster, for no humans are allowed, and that if one were to breach the academical grounds, they would be quickly discovered and killed.

Feeling the usual emptiness surround his heart, Tsukune looks once more at his agenda, insuring that he would have it memorized, doing his best not to glance over his right shoulder, not to feel a speck of hope that a girl like that would want to be his friend and share her joys and his sorrows.

* * *

The day had gone by quickly for Tsukune, focusing on the teachers and their speeches announcing the program as well as the dates for projects and exams. Seemingly waking up from a self-induced daze, he looks around, noticing that the classes are over for today, and that nearly every student is heading to the dorms. Still, the sun, which had been kept from full view so far by a sky filled with dark clouds, is a bit away from setting down completely. Thinking that he might as well wander a bit around and get to know the layout of the academy, Tsukune grabs his bag and heads outside.

Circling the campus, the young apprentice realizes he's still thinking about the pink haired girl, distractedly noting that he didn't even pay attention when she said her name to the teacher. Sighing, he starts wandering aimlessly, drifting into the woods.

Suddenly, he hears a clearly female shriek; distressed, Tsukune looks around, and sees movement further in the dead forest. Not knowing whether to go seek help or to head there himself, he's stressfully divided. Helping others has never been part of the lessons He had taught him, quite the opposite, yet he feels an unmistakable pull to assist the person in trouble; who knew, perhaps it was just somebody that had twisted an ankle or something, maybe he could help her – _Why a she? Am I wishing that that gorgeous girl is in pain so that I can help her?_ - and take her to the infirmary.

Hearing a second cry, Tsukune impulsively runs toward the clearing from where it seemed to be coming from, wondering if she – _Why can't I stop thinking about her?_ - would see him as a gallant and noble knight of the tales and be so impressed with his selflessness that she would want to be his best friend. Maybe he would get really lucky and He never asks about this...

Reaching the glade, he skids to a stop, floored with what he is seeing, as it is indeed the green eyed girl in need of aid, as she sits back against a tree, with another student from his class kneeling in front of her, his hands on her thighs pushing her short skirt up. As he looks stupefied, she cries for him to help her, while the other stares at him furiously. Tsukune does indeed remember his face from his class, though not his name. Unconsciously marking the fact that he can only recall the names of his teachers, he looks around, hoping that somebody else is close by and can join the impending fight. However, as he notes that it's just the three of them, the boy looks to the other, and sees just how stronger than Tsukune he is. And taller, at least a head. Wearing the uniform like himself, he can tell that the wide shoulders, the thick arms and how he's taking his jacket off and rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning the top of his shirt, that his intent is clear.

Back-pedalling, trying to maintain a safe distance, away from the reach of hands and feet, Tsukune panics, incapable of deciding what to do. Feeling a tree suddenly against his back, the boy is too frightened to look around for a way out; thus, he stands pressing against the dead bark of a tree, trembling. Finding himself being lifted, Tsukune sees that the other male student is holding him by the collar of the shirt with just one hand and, grinning, he rears his other back and punches the rookie apprentice so hard that he knocks the back of his head against the trunk.

Feeling the nose broken, blood and mucus running down his face, his mouth, his chin, to the hand of the bully and his jacket and shirt and tie—belatedly, he realizes that the fist was reared back again, and now he feels it against his belly, causing an excruciating pain and a sudden loss of breath, Tsukune finally encounters oblivion approaching, as he starts to lose sight, everything defocusing and darkening. Two startled shouts from different people, however, prevent him from completing the journey to unconsciousness, as he vaguely sees a pink blur holding the punching forearm and the brute dumbly getting his arms crossed as he keeps holding Tsukune with one and tries to grab the girl with the other. Then, Tsukune is let go, and he feels his back scraping against the bark as he falls down, and ends sit in the ground seeing his attacker grab the pink blur with both hands and throw it away. As the offender looks to the boy, he snorts and walks in the direction of the thrown object.

_Pink..._

Unfortunately for Tsukune, he stays awake, and slowly comes to find himself able once more to see, although somewhat unfocused, the brute holding the girl face down against an aged tombstone. Listening to her screams full of anguish, he intuitively understands what is about to take place; feeling a new bout of disgust, at the other guy for his intents and at himself for his weakness, Tsukune goes back to His teachings, and thinks of the only thing that he can do to save himself, and that is to cast spells. Gulping, and praying that the other student can't hear him, the apprentice stands up and starts gesticulating and whispering, noting with pain the sound of his modified voice due to the broken nose. As the spell reaches its end, he points a shaking right index finger to the student, who hasn't noticed the boy, too busy with the girl. As a beam of dark purplish light shoots from his finger, he is appalled to see it pass several inches above the shoulder and strike a tree, creating a blackened round shape on it.

Startled, the abuser stands up and turns around; as he sees him, growling, his body shakes and starts growing, the skin of his cruel colleague turning green, a gruesome face coming to view as well as wicked looking claws instead of fingernails.

As he changes, Tsukune, terrorized, initiates the casting of a different spell, his last hope for if he succeeds, he can probably make a run for it. Moving hands and speaking the incomprehensible words to anyone not knowledgeable of the lore, Tsukune points his hand in the direction of the student, who had already ended changing into his true form and is now almost casually walking towards the spell-caster. This time, he hits his target, as the taller boy stops and starts convulsing, shaking and screaming in horror, looking around himself, terrified of imaginary threats.

Tsukune, relieved beyond measure but still wary for this spell has a short duration, runs to the girl, who had curled into a ball lying on the ground; as he reaches her, he looks over his shoulder but sees no change in the afflicted. Fearfully, he grabs her arm and tries to get her up; as she turns to him, he dreadfully notes that her jacket and shirt are ripped open and her bra is in plain sight, though thankfully her breasts seem untouched. Still holding her arm, Tsukune grabs her shoulder with his hand, pleading for her to get up so they can run to the nearest building.

As she sits up, shivering so much, he suddenly takes note that he's not hearing the disillusioned molester any more. Turning his head, he finds himself staring at a well-muscled green-skinned torso. Looking up, he sees the offender lean down close to his face. Turning completely to the troll, for as he ran to the girl he had recognized this monster from his lessons back home, Tsukune finds himself paralysed with fear.

Quicker than his sight could register, he is backhanded to the ground. Groggily, supporting himself on his hands and knees, Tsukune shakes his head, and gets kicked in the right kidney, getting pushed against the girl, who had been kneeling in terror behind him. As the two tumble down together, he desperately tries to get away; as he blindly attempts to grab a fixed support, he holds something cool and tries to hoists himself up. Instead, what he grabbed gives in and he falls down again. As he painfully brings up his face, he finds himself bedazzled, for the pink haired girl in disarray is shining so brightly. As the light dims Tsukune becomes mesmerized, for what he sees is astonishing, as the hair of the girl is now silver instead of pink, her skin is paler almost looking like his though definitely healthier, and her iris are no longer green but red and with a vertical slit instead of a round pupil.

Remembering his opponent, he looks at him only to find the troll equally enraptured. Confused, trying not to choke on the blood still flowing from his nasal cavities, Tsukune frightfully crawls away from the two; however, as he hears new sounds of a fight, he turns back and he's amazed to see the girl kick the monster away, actually flying against a group of old tombstones, where it ends up unmoving. Stunned, he looks at the abused girl, only to see her standing straight, fists closed and shaking, indeed the girl seems to be trying to hold herself back.

And, abruptly, she looks at the beaten and bloodied wizard for a moment. As she walks in his direction, the boy discovers that he's so taken with this unexpected turnabout that, by the time he blinks and thinks of standing up, she's grabbing his torn jacket and effortlessly raising him to his feet.

Swaying, and lacking the courage to look her in the eyes especially this close, he takes two steps back away from her while attempting to smile, only to end falling on his rear. Feeling the world around him swing back and forth, left and right, up and down, Tsukune holds his head, first hissing in pain at the black bruise forming on one side of his face not to mention painfully feeling a new spray of blood and mucus slide down to and over his lips.

Wiping it carefully with the sleeve of his dirtied jacket, he squints, as his vision is partially blocked by the swelling around his eye, and observes the silver haired girl approach the still unmoving troll. Lifting her foot, she none-too subtly prods him twice; as he lays among the crumbled tombstones, she circles him to near his face, and stomps on it harshly. Grimacing, but not really feeling any pity for the monster, Tsukune crawls on his hands and knees to the closest tree and, with some difficulty, gets up. As he leans against the trunk, he sees her adjusting her clothes as she walks back to the apprentice of the arcane arts. Getting close to him, she grabs his hand, which much to his surprise had been holding her crucifix all this time and takes it. As she stands there, close and staring at him, she finally speaks with a clear voice

"You're lucky to have managed to take away my rosary, otherwise my powers would remain locked, you would get beaten to a pulp and me..." - at this, she looks away for a heartbeat, and then looks at him again or so he suspects, for all this time he had been staring at her mouth, for he hadn't yet noticed a couple of teeth protruding her lips from among her upper ones, a pair of elongated and quite sharp-looking canines - "Next time you think of intervening in a battle that does not concern you and that you can't win, don't!" As soon as she said the last word, she turns around and walks away, deeper into the woods.

Perplexed and too scared after the event, Tsukune squints at the troll and then away for the puddle of blood around his shoulders seems to be getting larger; touching his nose and flinching from the pain, coughing and spitting blood and snot, he slowly starts trekking back to the school, hoping that despite classes being over he can still find a nurse on duty in the infirmary, although if anyone were to ask him what had happened, he would be at a loss, for what could he say if after all this he still doesn't know the name of the brute troll or the girl whose hair colour changes when her rosary gets pulled.

* * *

Opening the door to his room and switching the flickering and buzzing light on, Tsukune doesn't get a second step inside before being intercepted by Isamu.

"Aono! What happened?"

The boy, now with a bandage covering his nose and another over his high cheek and corner of the eye, dressed in a clean uniform dispensed by the nurse, replies and flinches as he notes the whining sound of it

"I... I've done something that I shouldn't have." Closing the door and sitting down on his bed, Tsukune looks pitifully at his companion and, struggling against a sob, tells him about the beating he took, trying valiantly not to point out that, in the end, he wasn't capable of really helping the girl, that he was terrified during the whole thing, and could barely think straight before reminding himself that, if He comes to know of this, His punishment will quite likely be terrible.

Gulping, he sees Isamu shake his skull and walk back closer to the door silently, switching the light off. Tsukune lies down sideways on his bed with some care due to the ugly bruises on the front and side of his belly, and wallows in despair for a long time, thinking of what will happen if He comes to know of this, of what he could've done differently today, of feeling his legs shaking and his heart beating so fast and hard against his chest, of being contemptuously held off his feet and seeing nothing but the fist rearing back against him, of first missing a spell and then hitting him with another that briefly took his attention and then provoked the troll even more, of the miserable expression on the pink haired girl and the absolute rage on the red eyed one, and finally of being so disdainfully dismissed with a serious warning not to jump into a hole he can't get out of by himself again.

By the time he remembers that he must study spells for tomorrow before sleep, Tsukune looks outside and sees that the nearly full moon is high in the night sky. Getting up, he observes by the corner of his undamaged eye that Isamu is still standing close to the door, completely still. Wondering if skeletons or ghosts can or even need to sleep like a living being, he first turns the light back on and then walks to his desk, sits down, and pulls out his tome out of the top drawer. Opening it, Tsukune looks outside one more time, to the white moon with a small but still noticeable darkened part of it. Wanting to, but too afraid, he wonders if tomorrow the girl will talk with him about what happened...

To be continued...


End file.
